Cilice: Self-Flagellation

The knuckles white and knobby.

Cracking them is my hobby.

They snap again and again

with a modicum of pain.

This arthritis is a curse

but boredom is even worse.

A man with nothing to do

having gravel in his shoe.

This is self-inflicted pain

and very hard to explain.

We are punishing ourselves

like irresponsible elves

because we are guilty of

too little brotherly love.

Walt Abbott–7-19-2010